The Second Journey 
of the Wise-Men 


By ABBY G. BAKER 


Literary Supplement 


SCHOOL COOPERATING COMMITTEE 


Ford Building, Boston, Mass. 


SUNDAY 


AMERICAN BAPTIST MISSIONARY UNION 
WOMAN’S BAPTIST FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY, Ford Building, 
Boston, Mass. 

WOMAN’S BAPTIST FOREIGN MISSIONARY SOCIETY OF THE WEST 
88 E. Thirtieth St., Chicago, Il. 





FOREWORD 


HIS Christmas exercise may be 

given in either of two ways: first, 

with practically no stage setting, 
in which form it can be used for a 
Sunday school missionary concert pro- 
gram, or substituted for the regular 
Sunday evening service of the church; 
second, with a little stage setting, 
described on pages 11 and 12, it can be 
adapted for the Christmas entertain- 
ment of the Sunday school, or given 
as a missionary entertainment by any 
branch of the church. If desired, - it 
can be simplified by having only one 
of the wise-men speak, taking the 
parts of all three. The service can 
be used in smaller schools, as well as 
in larger ones. 

In giving it as a Sunday evening 
service, or as a Sunday evening mis- 
sionary concert exercise, the effect 
will be far better if a little of the 
spectacular is allowed; for instance, the 
church should be darkened just before 
the program is begun; an electric star, 
or one illuminated by a lamp, should 
be lighted as the room is darkened 


and the room remain darkened during 
the first two songs and the first 
recitation. The singers and the speaker 
should of course be unseen. 

The effect will be most impressive 
if the three wise-men appear in the 


‘costumes described in the supplement 


and if the American boys and the 
visitors from the Orient, who appear 
in the last scene, are dressed as de- 
scribed. 

Too much emphasis cannot be placed 
upon having the speakers selected with 
great care, that they may be heard and 
understood in all parts of the room 
where the service, or program, is 
given. If desired, one of the young 
men of the school can take the part 
of the superintendent. 

Six copies of this supplement will 
usually be found sufficient. The su- 
perintendent needs one, another is 
needed for the wise-men, two must 
be cut up for the others who take 
part and the committee in charge should 
retain the remaining two. Extra copies 
may be had if desired. 


The Second Journey of the Wise-Men 


I 


“Cantique de Noel.” 


(As the room is darkened, the star 
over the center of the platform 1s 
lighted and an invisible choir sings the 
“Cantique de Noel.”) 


SINGING. 


II 


Recitation. “The First Christmas.” 


(As the singers conclude, an unseen 
Speaker recites the following selection 
from “Ben Hur.) 


It was now the beginning of the 
third watch, and at Bethlehem the 
morning was breaking over the moun- 
tains in the east, but so feebly that it 
was yet night in the valley. The watch- 
man on the roof of the old khan, 
shivering in the chilly air, was listen- 
ing for_the first distinguishable sounds 
with which life, awakening, greets the 
dawn, when a light came moving up 
the hill toward the house. He thought 
it was a torch in some one’s hand; 
next moment he thought it was a 
meteor; the brilliance grew, however, 
until it became a star. Sore afraid, 
he cried out, and brought everybody 
within the walls to the roof. The 
phenomenon, in eccentric motion, con- 
tinued to approach; the rocks, trees 
and roadway under it shone as in a 
glare of lightning; directly its bright- 
ness became blinding. The more timid 
of the beholders fell upon their knees, 
and prayed, with their faces hidden; 
the boldest, covering their eyes, 
crouched, and now and then snatched 
glances fearfully. Afterwhile the khan 
and everything thereabouts lay under 
the intolerable radiance. Sychmeas 
dared look beheld the star standing 
still directly over the house in front of 
the cave where the child had been born. 

In the height of this scene, the wise- 
men came up, and at the gate dis- 
mounted from their camels and shouted 
for admission. When the steward so 
far mastered his terror as to give 
heed, he drew the bars and opened to 


them. The camels looked spectral in 
the unnatural light, and, beside their 
strange appearance, there were in the 
faces and manners of the three visi- 
tors an eagerness and exaltation which 
still further excited the keeper’s fears 
and fancy; he fell back, and for a 
time could not answer the question they 
put to him. 

“Ts not this Bethlehem of Judea?” 

But others came, and by their presence 
gave him assurance. “No, this is but 
the khan; the town lies farther on.” 

“Ts there not here a child newly 
born?” 

The bystanders turned to each other 
marveling, though some of them an- 
swered, “Yes, yes.” 

“Show us to him!” said the Greek, 
impatiently. 

“Show us to him!” cried Balthasar, 
breaking through his gravity; for we 
have seen his star, even that which ye 
behold over the house, and are come 
to worship him,” 

The Hindu clasped his hands. exclaim- 
ing, “God indeed lives! Make haste, 
make haste! The Saviour is found, 
Blessed, blessed are we above men.” 

(At this point the speaker pauses im- 
pressively for a moment and then con- 
tinues: ) 

“And when they were come in they 
saw the young child with Mary his 
mother, and fell down and worshipped 
him; and when they had opened their 
treasures, they presented unto him gifts: 
gold, and frankincense and myrrh... . 
For unto us a child is born, unto us a 
son is given; and the government shall 
be upon his shoulder: and his name 
shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, 
the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, 
the Prince of Peace. .., They shall 
call his name Emmanuel, God with 
us: ... and his name shall be called 
Jesus, for he shall save his people from 
their. sins. ... Wherefore God also 
hath highly exalted him, and given him 
a name which is above every name; 
that at the name of Jesus every knee 
should bow,...and every tongue 
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father.” 


III 


Sincinc. “We Three Kings.” 


(The entire effectiveness of the fore- 
going recitation depends upon having a 
speaker or reader who will enunciate 
clearly and speak sympathetically. As 
the speaker concludes, the three wise- 
men come forward to the platform in 
the semi-darkness and sing, “We Three 
Kings of Orient Are,’ each verse as a 
solo or together as preferred, and the 
invisible chow responds antiphonally 
with the chorus.) 


IV 


RECITATION, “Jesus’ Plan of Christ- 


mas.” 


(As the singing is concluded the wise- 
men withdraw, the lights are turned on 
and a speaker comes to the platform and 
says: ) 

We have just been hearing of that 
first Christmas,—the night when Jesus 
was born, the night when by his birth 
he brought Christmas to the world. I 
wonder if we have thought of how he 
planned to continue the Christmases? 
Listen, and see if you can find his plan 
in this little story of his life which I 
shall tell you: (speaks slowly and 
clearly.) 

For thirty and three years Jesus, 
the Son of God, the Saviour of man- 
kind, lived his earth-life here in the 
world. It is recorded of him that he 
came not to be ministered unto but to 
minister; that he came to preach the 
gospel to the poor; to heal the broken- 
hearted, to give deliverance to the 
captive and recovery of sight to the 
blind, to comfort all that mourn, to give 
them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy 
for mourning; to proclaim the accept- 
able year of the Lord. 

For thirty and three years he went 
about doing good, and then—most won- 
drous truth of all—he gave his life a 
ransom for many. He was wounded for 
our transgressions, he was bruised for 
our iniquities, and with his stripes we 
are healed. 

He was crucified,—dead,—buried. But 
the grave did not hold him. No! There 
would have been no Christmases if he 
had not risen! He came back to earth 
and stayed forty days, and then when 
at last he went up to heaven, he left a 
commission that all the world should 
have Christmas given them. Did you 
know that? Listen while I tell you of 
1Ez 

On that summer day he-led_ the 


eleven disciples out of the city of Je- 
rusalem, over the brook: Kedron, up the 
familiar slopes of the Mount of Olivet. 
It was the month of flowers; the 
cloudless, Syrian sky, limitless azure, 
stretched over their heads; beneath 
their feet sprang the rich, soft green 
grass. Behind them lay the city of 
God, with its forsaken temple; beyond 
them the blue lake with its moving life. 
Up the familiar slopes of the mountain 
side he led them until there was 
naught between them and his home land, 
heaven, but the clear, blue sky. 

And then he lifted up his hands and 
blessed them,and said, “Thus it behooved 
the Christ to suffer and to rise from 
the dead the third day; and that re- 
pentance and remission of sins should 
be preached in his name among all na- 
tions, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye 
are witnesses of these things. And be- 
hold I send the promise of my Father 
upon you, and ye shall be endued with 
power from on high....Go ye ito 
all the world and preach the gospel to 
every creature. And lo, I am with you 
alway.” And when he had said these 
words a cloud received him out of their 
sight. 

Do you catch Jesus’ plan of Christ- 
mas? Let us watch this evening’s pro- 
gram and see if that makes it clearer. 


NG 


“Light of the World.” 


(As the speaker steps from the plat- 
form the children of the Sunday school 
can be seated on the platform [see page 
It] or they can be seated in the front 
seats of the audience room and the su- 
perintendent, or pastor, takes the plat- 
form. As soon as the speaker finishes, 
the children rise and sing, “Light of the 
World, We Hail Thee,” accompanied of 
course by the piano, at which the player 
will remain seated so that there may 
be no delay when the music occurs later 
in the program.) 


VI 
“The Return of the Wise- 


SINGING. 


EXERCISE. 
Men.” 


(At the conclusion of the song the 
superintendent says: ) 

My young people, this is our 
Christmas service and we are to have 
some very unusual visitors. The three 
wise-men who saw his star in the east 
and who came to Bethlehem to worship 
the infant Jesus have come back to us 
tonight to learn how far the angels’ 





promise, “Peace on earth; good will 
to men,’ has extended over the world 
in the nineteen hundred years since 
Jesus went back to heaven. They 
want to know what Christ’s birthday— 
what Christmas—really means to the 
world in 1908. I propose that in our 
‘service this evening we shall tell them. 


(As he ceases speaking the three wise- 

men come from behind a curtain or 
from a room back of the platform, and 
Balthasar says:) 
BALTHASAR. This is a_ festive scene, 
Mr. Superintendent, and we understand 
it is your Christmas service. If you do 
not object, we should like to stay and 
learn something about your Christmases 
here upon earth. 


SUPERINTENDENT. We _ shall be de- 
lighted to have you, Mr. Wise-Men. If 
you will be seated here (seating them 
toward the front of the platform) we 
will go on with our service, and you 
must feel at liberty to interrupt us at 
any time if you. wish to ask any ques- 
tions. 


Vil 


RESPONSIVE EXERCISE. 


(The superintendent then turns to the 
school and conducts the following brief 
responsive exercise: ) 

SUPERINTENDENT. Now, boys and girls, 
what was promised in the coming of the 
Messiah ? 


SCHOOL. Malachi said, “Unto you 
that fear my name shall the Sun of 
righteousness arise with healing in his 
wings. 


SUPERINTENDENT. What was said the 
night that Jesus was born? 


ScHoot. The angels sang, “Behold, 
I bring you good tidings of great joy, 
which shall be to all people. For unto 
you is born this day in the city of David 
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 
.. . Glory to God in the highest, and on 
earth peace, good will toward men.” 


SUPERINTENDENT. What was . Jesus 
to do? 
ScHoot. To give light to those that 


sit in darkness and in the shadow of 
death; . . . to guide our feet in the way 
of peace. 


SUPERINTENDENT. What did Jesus say 
of his own mission? 


Scuoot. As Moses lifted up the ser- 


‘school, without 


pent in the wilderness, even so must the 
Son of man be lifted up... . And I, 
if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto 
myself. 


VIII 


Sincinc. “It Came Upon the Midnight 


Clear.” 


(The pianist, who has remained seated 
at the piano, strikes the chord, and the 
announcement, sings, 
“Tt Came upon the Midnight Clear.) 


IX 


Exercise. “The Spread of Christmas.” 


(At the conclusion of the hymn three 
boys step to the front of the platform, 
bow to the wise-men and audience and 
the first one says:) 


First Boy. 

Listen, all people, 
We bring you good news! 

We publish glad tidings, 
The message is yours! 

The bells from the tower 
In harmony ring; 

They herald the coming 
Of Jesus, our King! 


Seconp Boy. His name shall endure 
forever; his name shall be continued 
as long as the sun; and men shall be 
blessed in him;—all nations shall call 
him blessed. 


Tuirp Boy. Of the increase of his 
government there shall be no end. 


Gaspar (rising). May I ask, Mr. 
Superintendent, if the last speaker can 
tell me in what way he thinks the king- 
dom of Jesus has “increased,” what 
proof there is that it has? 


Tuirp Boy (replying quickly). Oh, 
surely, Mr. Wise-Man, there can be no 
question but that the kingdom of our 
Lord has increased tremendously since 
Jesus established it with only twelve dis- 
ciples! Just look at it in the United 
States alone. We have here, in the 
Protestant denominations, over two 
hundred thousand churches, with more 
than thirty-two million members. Think 
of that, Mr. Wise-Man, in comparison 
with the twelve apostles! 
(The boys return to their seats.) 


GASPAR (slowly).’ Yes, yes, those are 
convincing figures. And I suppose that 
there are other branches in which the 
King’s kingdom has been increasing? 


SUPERINTENDENT (proudly). Indeed, 
there are. Miss Slocum, cannot you 
give.the wise-men some information 
concerning the Sunday schools? 


Miss Stocum (vising). There is 
nothing, Mr. Wise-Men, which bears 
better evidence of the advancement of 
Christ’s kingdom than what is being 
done in the Sunday schools of America. 
For nearly eighteen hundred years 
after Christ left the earth there was 
very little done for the children, al- 
though he gave such a striking example 
when he took them in his arms and 
said, “Of such is the kingdom of 
heaven.” But in 1780 Robert Raikes, 
an Englishman, started a Sunday. school, 
and within a few years similar schools 
had sprung up in all parts of the Chris- 
tian world. Last. year there were re- 
ported in the United States more than 
forty thousand Sunday schools, with an 
attendance of over thirteen million, 
while many, many thousands were 
brought into church membership from 
the schools. 


THe THREE WrsE-MEN  (fogether). 
Wonderful! Wonderful! 


Metcutor. Surely all the children of 
the United States are to be found in the 
Sunday schools. 


SUPERINTENDENT (somewhat  embar- 
rassed), A-hem, not all, not all. But 
we have other Christianizing agencies. 
Charles Beckwith, you are the president 
of our young people’s society; please 
tell the wise-men what is being done 
by the young people’s societies. 


CHARLES (comes forward, bows and 
says). It used°to be, Mr. Wise-Men, 
that young folks thought religion was 
only for the old and the sick people, 
and that it was not necessary for the 
boys and girls to have much to do with 
it. But in the last few years young 
men and young women have come into 
the realization that Christ is depending 
upon them for the extension of a part 
of his Kingdom, and they are taking 
up the work splendidly. Strong organ- 
izations, such as the Baptist Young Peo- 
ple’s Union, the Young People’s Society 
of Christian Endeavor, Young Men’s 
and Young Women’s Christian Associa- 
tions and others are doing grand work. 
I know that I need not tell you that the 
life of the church has been greatly 
quickened by these young people’s or- 
ganizations, 
(Returns to his seat.) 


Metcuior. JI am sure that we can be- 
lieve that, And I suppose, Mr. Super- 
intendent, that there is also work being 
done toward the extension of Christ’s 
kingdom in lands which you do not 
call Christian ? 


SUPERINTENDENT, Yes, much _ earnest 
and effectual work is being done in 
heathen lands. All the evangelical de- 
nominations have active mission boards, 
which are supporting missionaries on 
foreign mission fields. All of them have 
established churches and many have 
founded schools and hospitals. In fact, 
it is estimated that fully five thousand 
missionaries from the United States are 
at work on foreign fields today. 


BALTHASAR. That is a good record. 
And do you recall how many ministers 
of the gospel there are in the United 
States, in all the Protestant denomina- 
tions? 


SUPERINTENDENT (rather hesitatingly). 
Y-e-s, there are something over two 
hundred thousand ordained ministers in 
the United States—but,— 


BALTHASAR (quickly). O- yes, but 
perhaps the need is greater here. Yet 
is it not true that there are agencies at 
work which advance the kingdom of 
Jesus which would not come under the 
head of distinctively Christian agencies? 


SUPERINTENDENT. Assuredly, yes. Mr. 
Gregory (iurning to one of the young 
men of the school), you have been 
making a study of civic reform, please 
tell the wise-men what is being done 
along these lines. 


Mr. Grecory (coming forward). It 
is indeed marvelous how the principles 
laid down by our Saviour are beginning 
to permeate society in all civilized lands. 
Fifty and even twenty years ago the 
brotherhood of man was but little recog- 
nized, even among those who professed 
to follow in the footsteps of the Great 
Teacher. Our prisons were places. of 
awful incarceration and torture; poverty 
was regarded as but little short of 
crime; and suffering humanity every- 
where bore its own burdens. A won- 
derful change is taking place. Prison 
reform is in full sway and the preven- 
tion of crime, rather than the punish- 
ment of the criminal, is the new order. 
Every large city has its board of chari- 
ties, which’ while aiding dependents is 
striving to help them to become self- 
supporting; and penal institutions are 
being supplanted by  reformatories. 





The children of the poor are clothed, 
fed and educated; parks and play- 
grounds are opened for them, and ju- 
venile courts are vastly lessening the 
number of child criminals. In short, 
Civic organizations everywhere, whether 
consciously or unconsciously, are work- 
ing out the principles of Jesus. 


xX 
“The King of Kings.” 


(As Mr. Gregory resumes his seat, the 
pianist, without a moment's delay, 
strikes the chord and the school sings, 
“The King of Kings.”’) 


XE 
“Where Christmas Has Not 


SINGING. 


EXERCISE. 
Come.” 


(While the school is singing the three 

qwise-men step to one side of the plat- 
form and seem engaged in earnest con- 
versation, and as the song ceases Bal- 
thasar turns to the superintendent and 
says: ) 
BALTHASAR. We _ have’ been’ very 
greatly interested in all that we have 
heard this evening, Mr. Superintendent, 
greatly interested, It has seemed to us 
while listening as though there were no 
reason why the Lord Jesus should not 
fulfil his promise, that when the gos- 
pel of the kingdom is preached for a 
witness unto all nations he would re- 
turn to earth to reign. Were this, 
which we have heard and seen here 
this evening, true of all the world, I am 
sure that Jesus the King could come 
into his own at once. But, Mr. Super- 
intendent, as we were coming here to- 
day we stopped in some of the countries 
on the other side of the world, and in 
some parts of your own country too, 
and if you are willing we would like 
to have you and your school hear from 
some of the people we brought with 
us. 


(If the exercise is given as a Sunday 
night service the visitors can come from 
a side or back room upon the platform, 
If a curtain is used it can be drawn 
back, revealing the entire company sit- 
ting or standing in little groups. If it 
is desired to lessen the number taking 
part there need be but one representa- 
tive from each class of people. If it 
is thought best the characters can be 
taken without the costumes, although 
the service will be far more effective 
where the costumes are used, and they 
can be gotten up with very little trouble. 
Of the two American boys the first 


- There are many of us, 


wears rather rough, heavy clothing, lke 
a frontier farmer's son; the second boy 
is in rags and tatters, a typical “slum 
kid.” If given with the full number 
there should be three East Indians, a 
Brahman in long robe and red fez, a 
high caste woman in bright robe and 
many jewels, and a little widow in a 
faded pink gown with a faded pink 
shawl over her head and face. There 
should be three Chinese, a Mandarin 
in native costume, a woman with 
bound feet and a poor blind beggar: 
Japan is represented by a young man 
and a young woman student in modern, 
fashionable American dress, The two 
Africans have their heads tied in yel- 
low and red kerchiefs and one of them 
has both hands bound in rags. By 
looking at pictures of Chinese and In- 
dia people it will be an easy matter to 
devise all these costumes.) 


(Balthasar waves toward them and the 
two American boys come forward.) 


Frontier Boy (eagerly). I represent 
the boys and girls in the United States 
who do not go to Sunday school be- 
cause we have no Sunday schools to go 
to. You would not think it, would you, 
Mr. Superintendent, but there are hun- 
dreds of thousands of boys and girls 
right here in the United States who 
cannot go to Sunday school because 
there is not any school near enough to 
us. We live in the western states on 
big farms, where in many entire coun- 
ties there is not a church or Sunday 
school and where a religious service of 
any kind is pretty nearly unknown. 
Some of us live in southern states, 
where in the country districts there are 
no churches nor Sunday schools; then 
some of us live in villages and ham- 
lets where there is no one to conduct 
the Sunday schools, so we have none. 
So you see it comes about that there 
are an awful lot of us right here in our 
own country who can’t go to Sunday 
school because there are no schools for 
us; and of course we can’t celebrate 
Jesus’ birthday and have Christmas 
entertainments, because we have no 
church in which to hold them. 


Raccep Boy. And I, Mr. Superin- 
tendent, come to represent the boys and 
girls who are not American by birth, 
or whose parents were not born in 
America, but whose homes are now 
here and who are to be your citizens. 
more than 
twenty million, and almost every steamer 
coming to your land brings more of 
us. We are Slavs, Russian Jews, 


Hungarians, Poles, Bohemians, Greeks, 
Italians, Chinese, Japanese, East Indians 
and Filipinos. We swarm in all your 
great cities, but the majority of us 
don’t go to your Sunday schools. And 
Mr. Superintendent, I represent your 
red brothers, the. Indians, of whom large 
numbers need the teaching of Jesus 
almost as much as their East Indian 
brethren. I also represent the negroes, 
of whom there are more than eight 
million. We are all here, Mr. Super- 
intendent, and don’t you think that the 
boys and girls whom I represent should 
be sent to your Sunday schools, for 
it will be only a few years when we 
shall be your citizens and home-makers? 

(The boys step back to their places.) 


SUPERINTENDENT (looking troubled). 
This is very distressing, Mr. Wise-Men. 
It is a problem which I am sure that 
many of our Sunday schools will take 
hold of more vigorously than ever be- 
fore in the year 1909. And not less 
important is it that we retain our hold 
upon the boys and girls already in our 
schools. Here are some of the little 
ones from our own school, Mr. Wise- 
Men. Let us hear them sing. 


XII 


SINGING BY PRIMARY CLASS. 


(The primary class here sings, “The Air 
is Filled With the Echoes.”) 


XIII 


BALTHASAR. The situation here in 
the United States zs distressing, Mr. 
Superintendent, but I want you to hear 
also what these others have to tell us. 


(As he waves his hand toward the visi- 
tors the Brahman and the two East 
India women step to the front of the 


platform.) 


BrRAHMAN. We come from India, the 
ancient land of the Vedas. From time 
immemorial we have been under the 
domination of the gods, many, many 
gods, all of whom punish but none of 
whom love. Ages ago our chief god 
divided us into castes, and there is no 
greater sin in India than to break your 
caste, to speak to or help one not of 
your own class, or caste. I am a 
rajah, a Brahman, and I thought I did 
God service to give my gold to the 
gods, while under my very eyes my 
people were dying by thousands from 
plague and famine. But a man of God 
from the West, a missionary taught me 
the story of Jesus, and my life was 


changed. So I come here tonight to 
tell you of the misery of my country 
because it has not heard the glad tid- 
ings. Womanhood is degraded wher- 
ever Jesus is not known, and in my 
country even a high caste woman like 
this one (pointing to her), must live in 
seclusion; while throughout India there 
are twenty million little widows like 
that one (touching the widow lightly) 
who are married in childhood and who 
because their husbands have died must 
spend all the rest of. their sad lives as 
broken-hearted, oppressed drudges—lit- 
tle morsels of misery, your missionaries 
call them. 


(The three wise-men start at the 

Brahmans closing words and Gaspar 
Says: ) 
Gaspar. And yet nearly two. thou- 
sand years ago Jesus the King came to 
heal the broken-hearted, to comfort 
those who mourn! How can it be true 
about these widows? 


(As the East Indians return to their 
seats the Africans come forward and one 
of them says, in a dejected, hopeless 
tone: ) 


Arrican. Mr. Superintendent, we come 
from the country which is called the 
Dark Continent, and for ages it was 
black with the darkness of heathenism. 
But the missionaries came and a little 
light began to glimmer. Some of us be- 
gan to see, and’oh! what a change it 
made in our lives. We thought that day- 
break was dawning for our sad coun- 
try. Then, Mr. Superintendent, your 
merchants began coming, and_ they 
brought the black drink which made a 
darkness for us far worse than that 
we had known before the missionaries 


came. It made demons of men who had 
simply been ignorant animals be- 
fore. Next there came merchants 
with soldiers to buy our rubber 
products. We were glad; we thought 
that they would make our lives 
easier and better. But, Mr. Super- 


intendent, it meant slavery for us, and 
pain, and death. They beat us, and 
maimed us (showing the bound arms), 
and killed our loved ones to make us 
bring in more rubber, and our trouble 
is very great. Can’t your great country, 
Mr. Superintendent, persuade the mer- 
chants not to bring us any more rum, 
and can’t it help to make the cruel sol- 
diers go away? And oh, Mr. Superin- 
tendent, won’t your good Christian peo- 
ple send us many more missionaries, be- 
cause so many of my people have never 


heard the glad tidings of Jesus, and how 
can there be any Christmas like this 
(pointing to the school) when they do 
not know of Jesus? 


(As they turn to their places the Su- 
perintendent says:) 


SUPERINTENDENT. My good man, your 
poor country has our full sympathy and 
we trust that a better day is dawning 
for you. We shall pray and work that 
the Lord of the Harvest may send more 
laborers into Africa. (The Japanese 
come forward and he adds) I hope that 
the Japanese students may be able to 
give us an encouraging report from 
their country, 


JAPANESE YOUTH (flippantly). O yes, 
we can. Our land, Japan, is the most 
advanced in the Orient. We have 
schools and places of learning estab- 
lished all over the kingdom. Our cities 
are open to Western commerce and. we 
are fully abreast of the times. Our 
girls, even, (waving his hand loftily to- 
ward his companion) are entering some 
of the higher schools with our young 
men students. 


(Balthasar says something to him in- 

audibly, to which he seems to reply in 
saying: ) 
JAPANESE YOUTH, Christianity? Well, 
we have not adopted it very widely. A 
few years ago everybody, seemingly, was 
thinking of it. But there were so few 
who understood it and so few mission- 
aries to teach it that many who wanted 
to learn could find no one to teach 
them. And in time we found that 
Western civilization was just as well 
without it, so now we don’t think much 
about it. Y-e-s, we ought to have some 
principles of ethics and morality, and 
we are trying to select the best from 
Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, 
Agnosticism and similar cults. They are 
all good, you know (patronizingly, as 
he and his companion step back to their 
seats.) 


(The superintendent looks after them 
seriously as he says to the school:) 


SUPERINTENDENT (very earnestly). I 
almost fear that the time a few years 
ago, of which the Japanese spoke, was 
the day of good tidings for Japan, and 
we held our peace. Let us pray earnest- 
ly that He to whom we must render ac- 
count may yet enable us to retrieve our 
lost opportunity there. 


(As the Japanese draw back to their 
places the Chinese come forward and the 
mandarin makes obeisance in the Chi- 


nese manner, thus: placing his fists to- 
gether, palms inward, he raises them to 
his chest, and then, as he bows low, ex- 
tends them forward and downward in 
a sweeping movement; then, returning to 
an upright position, he brings his fists 
back up to his chest, where he shakes 
them back and forth once or twice, then 
lets them fall. The whole movement 
should be made in a graceful and digni- 
fied manner, not too quickly, keeping the 
fists together throughout. Then he 
SaVS:) 


CHINESE Manpartn. My land was old 
in science, literature and art, Mr, Super- 
intendent, before your honorable coun- 
try began its existence, and for thou- 
sands of years before the rest of the 
world began any civilization we were 
living by the principles enunciated by 
our great sages. But our young men 
have been traveling in other worlds 
than China. Even our old men have 
gone beyond the seas; and they tell us 
that China, hoary, aged China, is lack- 
ing in some things, Perhaps it is true 
(shakes his head meditatively), I, too, 
have been watching other countries and 
it may be best for us to have Western 
commerce, railways, colleges, and 
schools, yet there is something else I 
fear, we need even more than those. 
Your missionaries have long been tell- 
ing us that there is something else we 
need far more, and I am beginning to 
see that that is true. There are more 
than four hundred millions of people in 
my country and oh, there is much sor- 
row among them. There are millions 
of sick folk, but hardly any hospitals; 
every street in the city, every lane of the 
highway is lined with the blind, the 
lame, the beggar and the insane, and 
there is scarcely a blind asylum, scarce- 
ly an insane asylum, or a charitable ref- 
uge, aside from those maintained by the 
missionaries, in all our vast territory. 
(He pauses impressively for a moment, 
and then turning tragically toward the 
school he throws out his hand and ejacu- 
lates,) Curistmas! Nine tenths of our 
four hundred million people in China 
have never heard of such a day! 


MetcuHior (in a shocked tone of voice, 
to his companions). Nine tenths of the 
most populous nation in the world never 
yet heard of Jesus, and he came nearly 
two thousand years ago! What. does 
it mean? 


(The superintendent and the school 
look troubled and the three wise-men 
seem to be consulting together for a mo- 
ment. Them Balthasar goes over to the 


blackboard and writes. If the school 
has a reversible board it can be pre- 
pared beforehand, in which case Bal- 
thasar simply turns it. If not, he can 
produce a prepared placard on which 1s 
written in large letters: 


ONE.HUNDRED MILLION PEO- 

PLEIN. THE-WORLD’ TODAY 

WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF 
JESUS 


(He turns to the superintendent and 
Says: ) 
BALTHASAR. We know that you are as 
much pained over what these visitors 
have told us as we are ourselves, Mr. 
Superintendent, but we have just been 
making a calculation from their reports. 
This is the result. (He reads aloud:) 


ONE HUNDRED MILLION PEO- 


PLE 4IN -THE-“WORLDS TODAS: 


WHO HAVE NEVER HEARD OF 
JESUS 


SUPERINTENDENT, We are indeed ap- 
palled at what we have heard and at 
these deplorable figures. But, Mr. Wise- 
man, there is a glorious campaign being 
inaugurated for King Jesus of which 
you have not yet heard, and which we 
believe is to do more toward hastening 
the coming of the kingdom of Jesus 
throughout the world than anything 
which has been done in the eighteen 
hundred years since he went back to 
heaven. Miss Hopegood, (turning to 
one of the young women of the school) 
you have just returned from Boston and 
New York, where you have been at our 
missionary headquarters, and where also 
you have seen the plan put into execu- 
tion. Won’t you please tell the wise-men 
about The Baptist Forward Movement 
for Missionary Education? . 


Miss Hopecoop. (The very best speaker 
of the school should be chosen as Miss 
Hopegood. Much of the success of the 
exercise will depend upon the manner 
in which she does her part. She comes 
to the front and speaks with much ear- 
nestness and vivacity.) I am so glad to 
tell you, Mr. Wise-men, and so glad to 
tell those who have come with you 
(bowing toward them) about this move- 
ment for missions, for I believe that 
eventually it will entirely change all the 
stories these visitors have told us to- 


night. 
It is called The Baptist Forward 
Movement for Missionary Education 


and it is being, inaugurated in all the 
churches and Sunday schools throughout 
our beautiful home land. It is a de- 
termined effort to enlist the Sunday 


schools,— yes, the entire church, men and 
women, young and old, and all our boys 
and girls in helping to carry out the 
Great Commission. It means _ that 
EVERY Christian shall help to give the 
gospel to EVERY creature in all the 
great round world. 

To accomplish this there has been es- 
tablished a systematic course of study 
of the mission fields, both home and for- 
eign, that we may become intelligent 
workmen and know the vineyard the 
Master has given us to till. A fine set 
of graded mission study books has been 
prepared, adapted for the little folks, 
the young people, the woman’s societies 
and the men of the churches. With such 
splendid text-books mission study classes 
are being organized all over the country 
as a matter of course; not only in the 
churches but-in the schools and col- 
leges, while many, many Sunday schools 
are making mission topics and mission 
instruction a regular part of the Sunday 
school course of study. In this way we 
are going to become a body of intelligent, 
Christian workers who are acquainted 
with all parts of Christ’s great king- 
dom. 

This will result, as is always the case 
where. there is knowledge of the need, 
in a large increase of offerings of life 
and money. Our Christian young peo- 
ple who are in earnest will give their 
lives where they are needed most, where 
they will tell the most for Christ. One 
of the cardinal principles of this move- 
ment is the adoption of the old Pauline 
system of giving. We are laying by 
weekly, as God has prospered, and that 
is to start the flow of A STREAM OF 
MONEY FOR MISSIONS. It is 
teaching us to 


“Give! as the morning that flows out 
of heaven; 

Give! as the waves when their chan- 
nel is riven; 

Give! as the free air and sunshine are 
given; 

Lavishly, utterly, joyfully give— 

SF as He gave thee, who gave thee to 

ive. 


Now to bring into execution this 
splendid principle of giving as God has 
prospered us, every Baptist Sunday 
school in our land is being asked to use 
these little double envelopes (producing 
one and holding it up before the: audi- 
ence). In this the scholar puts his regu- 
lar contribution for the school, and his 
REGULAR CONTRIBUTION. FOR 
MISSIONS. Do you know that if we 
all do. this in the year 1909 the 


10 





contributions from our Sunday 
schools will increase more than two 
hundred per cent? Do you not think 
that we would better do it? Oh, Mr. 
Wise-Men (turning to them), do you 
not see how this Forward Movement is 
to change those (pointing to the black- 
board) sad figures in the next ten years? 
Do you not believe that it will help im- 


measurably to bring in the day when - 


every knee shall bow to our King 
Jesus? 

Gaspar. Indeed it will. That day so 
long prophesied is surely coming. The 
star that shone so brightly on that first 
Christmas night will shine over all the 
earth. For all peoples shall know him 
and all lands shall be his. Your prayers, 
your gifts, your efforts, will hasten the 
dawning of that day. Give them freely, 
as Christ gave for you. 


SUPERINTENDENT, This is the purpose 


of the Forward Movement. .And our 
pastor is to tell us of the spirit of this 
Movement, whose promise is so great. 


XIV 
ADDRESS BY PASTOR. 

(The Pastor is then introduced to 
Speak briefly, not over five minutes, on 
“The Spirit of the Forward Move- 
ment.” ) 

XV 
OFFERING. 

(At the conclusion of his address the 
offering should be _ taken. Careful 
emphasis should be placed upon the fact 
that this is a special offering for foreign 
missions, not the regular offering of the 


school.) : 
XVI 


sincinc. “We've a Story to Tell.” 


(The service concludes with the song, 
“We've a Story to Tell.”) 


HOW TO ELABORATE THE PROGRAM 


Description of the stage setting when 
the foregoing Christmas missionary ex- 
ercise is used as the program for the 
Sunday school Christmas entertain- 
ment. 


FIRST SCENE. The platform will 
need to be as large as possible and a cur- 
tain should extend entirely across it. 
One end of the platform should be 
screened by another curtain, behind 
which the piano, pianist, singers and 
readers can be hidden from the audience. 
The main part of the platform should be 
made to represent, as much as is pos- 
sible with a little trouble, the khan de- 
scribed at the bottom of page 56 and at 
the top of page 57 in Wallace’s “Ben 
Hur.” This can be done by improvising 
a manger or two and placing them at 
the back or side of the platform; a 
shock or two of grain and fodder can 
be lying about the mangers, and some 
earthenware cooking utensils and other 
household property can also be in evi- 
dence. When the curtains are drawn 
there must be a dim light on the plat- 
form to show the scene within. A star 
large enough to be plainly visible must 
hang directly over the middle and at the 
front of the platform. If electricity is 
not used in the church this star can be 
made easily by cutting it out of tin, nail- 
ing it over a lidless box and slipping a 
candle or lamp back of it, which can be 
lighted just as the room is darkened for 
the first scene. The room is darkened 


II 


just before the exercises begin and at 
the same moment the star shines forth. 
The invisible choir sings the “Cantique 
de Noel’ and as they finish, the curtain 
is drawn revealing the khan in which 
are seated Mary and Joseph, beside one 
of the mangers, looking into it. The 
wise-men are standing at her side in a 
reverential attitude. 


SECOND SCENE. _ At the conclusion 
of the song, “We Three Kings of Orient 
Are,” the lights are turned on and the 
curtains of the platform are closed. 
The speaker takes her place in front of 
the closed curtains, or at one side, and 
after the prefatory remark, recites the 
little story of the life of Jesus. Too 
much emphasis can not be laid upon 
clear, distinct and sympathetic speak- 
ing. 

THIRD SCENE. While the last 
speaker has been reciting, the platform 
behind the curtains has been quietly 
cleared and arranged for a Sunday 
school Christmas entertainment. The 
piano is pushed into view, a dozen or 
more chairs are placed in order and 
Christmas greens are hung. As the 
speaker finishes, the curtains are drawn, 
revealing the superintendent and the 
scholars in their places. Behind the 
screened part of the platform are the 
wise-men and the visitors. Of course 
if the platform is not large enough for 
this they can come in from another 
room. 


The dress of the three wise-men is 
described in full on pages 13, 14, 16, and 
17 of “Ben Hur.” It is somewhat as 
follows: 


BALTHASAR, the Egyptian, wears a 
white cotton gown extending to his feet, 
open at the throat, and with tight 
sleeves; over it is a long, dark cloak, 
held in by a sash at the waist; on his 
head a red kerchief. 


MELCHIOR, the Hindu, wears a skull 
cap wound about with a white scarf; 
wide, white trousers gathered in at the 
ankles; a white cloak which almost 
reaches his ankles; and red, pointed slip- 
pers. 

GASPAR, the Greek, should be a blond 
and should be bare-headed. He wears a 
bright colored blanket over his shoul- 


ders; underneath it a short-sleeved, low- 
necked tunic, reaching almost to the 
knees, and gathered in at the waist by 
a belt. Sandals are on his feet, but his 
legs, arms and neck are bare. 

These costumes can be gotten up with 
very little trouble or expense; Melchior’s 
white cloak can be made with sheets, 
and his red slippers out of red outing 
flannel or eider-down. A long blouse 
jacket can answer for Gaspar’s tunic. 

In the costumes for the visitors of 
the third scene as little trouble need be 
taken. The most important thing is to 
select the boys and girls who will “fit” 
their characters: short, dark girls for the 
Chinese and Japanese women; a tall, 
thin, dark girl for the high caste India 
woman, a short, dark girl for the little 
widow. 





SEND OFFERINGS TO 
SUNDAY SCHOOL COOPERATING COMMITTEE 


Forp Buriprne, Bosron, Mass., or 


779-t Ed.-15 M-October, 1908 


12 


88 E. Tutrtiera Str., Curcaco, Itt. 


